


Welcome to Your New Home

by KitKatWinchester



Series: Comfortember 2020 [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Irondad and Spiderson - Fandom, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Time Bandits (1981)
Genre: AU, Adoption, Comfortember, First Day, First Night, Fluff, Gen, Orphan Peter Parker, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Rescue, Time Bandits AU, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Young Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27347500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitKatWinchester/pseuds/KitKatWinchester
Summary: Ten-year-old Peter Parker is so tired of being alone.He wants a family.He wants people who care about him again.He wants a home.When Peter finds himself hurtled through time and into the past, he thinks he's found everything he's been looking for.Luckily for him, home is even closer than he thinks.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Comfortember 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1997209
Comments: 17
Kudos: 106
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	1. Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> My first (and second) prompt for Comfortember! (A little late, but it's up and that's what matters.) 
> 
> I'm so excited about this event, so huge shout-out to Kris for putting it together! I think it's gonna be so much fun! 
> 
> That said, this story is in two parts (also two chapters), and satisfies both the first prompt of "Rescue" and the second prompt of "First Day/Night". 
> 
> I'll admit, this isn't one of my proudest works, but I wrote it for this event, so I intend to stick to posting it. I really think the second chapter/part is better than the first, which makes me think that maybe I'm not good at AUs (or, at least not good at AUs when I've only seen the movie once XD), but I'm not gonna give up. XD
> 
> This first part is an AU of the movie "Time Bandits", and it chronicles the scene where, in the movie, Kevin meets the king and winds up becoming his adopted kid, as well as the ending where the firefighter resembling the king saves Kevin from the fire. In this story, Kevin is Peter, and the king/hero at the end is Tony. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy reading it! I can't wait to continue writing and posting for this event! :D <3

There are two things Peter Parker knows. 

In comic books, heroes are always there to protect and save those in need.

In real life, he isn’t someone worth saving. 

If he was, his parents wouldn’t have died in that plane crash. 

If he was, he wouldn’t have needed his aunt and uncle to pick him up on the night that drunk driver ran the red light. 

If he was, he wouldn’t be curled up in his bed at Mercy Home for Children, cowering from his bullies and trying not to cry, begging for a way out of the horrible situations that no ten-year-old should ever have to go through. 

And yet, here he is. 

And he wants to be tough. He wants to be strong. He is most of the time. 

But honestly, he just...can’t. Not right now. 

He wants his family. 

He wants his home. 

He doesn’t want to be alone anymore. 

By the time lights out rolls around, Peter is already half-asleep, clutching his Iron Man comic and wishing for a hero to save the day. 

~ 

Peter’s suddenly flying in the air, and he reaches out desperately, eyes snapping open. He finds the sides of his bed and grabs hold, grip tight as he looks around, terrified. But as he continues to scan his surroundings, he realizes that everyone else is sleeping, and he’s the only one awake. Confused, he sits up just enough to check the sides of his bed, but he doesn’t see anyone ducking down and hiding.  _ Was I dreaming?  _

After one more cursory glance around the room, he lies back down, slowly letting go of the bed frame and sinking back into sleep. Just as he starts to doze off, he’s jolted up again, and this time he almost falls out of bed, grabbing the bedsheet at the last second to stabilize himself. 

_ Okay, that came from  _ under _ my bed.  _

Cautiously, he sits up again, reaching for his glasses and placing them on his nose. He switches positions so he‘s lying on his stomach, slithering towards the end of the bed. As an afterthought, he reaches for his Iron Man comic--ever his safety blanket--folding it gently and tucking it into the pocket on his pajama pants before carefully leaning over the end of his bed and peeking underneath. 

At first, he doesn’t see anything—just the usual creepy black abyss of darkness that’s always under a bed at night. But when he pushes his glasses a little closer and squints his eyes, he swears he can see some sort of door. He squints harder and leans just a little farther, reaching his hand towards the opening. Suddenly, he feels himself start to slip, and before he can catch himself, he falls. He closes his eyes in anticipation of the thud he’s bound to make from slamming against the hardwood floor, but it never comes. Instead, when he hits the ground, he swears he feels... _ sand?  _

He opens his eyes and sits up quickly. Sure enough, he’s sitting in a giant pile of sand, and he is  _ definitely  _ not in the orphanage anymore. Peter looks around in confusion, but all he can see is miles and miles of desert. 

_ I’m dreaming,  _ he says to himself.  _ It must be a dream.  _

He doesn’t have much time to think about that, though, because there’s suddenly yelling from somewhere to his right, followed by the clanging of metal. Peter spins around, curious, and when he squints, he can make out two shapes several feet away. He stands quickly, stumbling a little bit in the sand, before running over to investigate. As he nears the two shapes, he can see that it looks like two people fighting, but one of them looks...off. Eventually, he realizes why. While the first man is dressed like a knight—his armor shining red and gold—the second man isn’t a man at all, but rather some sort of...animal. The two creatures seem evenly matched for a while, but then the half-man, half-animal takes a giant swing and knocks the knight to the ground. Peter’s eyes widen a little in horror as the animal starts advancing on the man. Without thinking, he runs forward, shouting at the top of his lungs. 

“Hey! Over here!” The beast turns around and stares at him for a second before it starts walking towards him. 

_ I did not think this through, _ Peter thinks to himself, slowly backing away. 

“Uh...I was kidding?” He attempts, but the beast clearly doesn’t believe him, or isn’t listening. Either way, he’s not stopping. 

Peter closes his eyes in preparation for his doom, but when he hears a resounding “clank” and it  _ isn’t  _ on his skull, he opens them again. 

The knight is back on his feet, and he’s standing over the beast, who’s been knocked to the ground. Peter stares at the beast for a minute, but he looks back up at the knight when he hears the man speak up. 

“That was quite brave, young one,” he says. “You have my gratitude.” Peter stares at him for a minute, then nods, albeit shyly. The man steps towards him, and instinctively, Peter takes a step back, which makes the man seem to hesitate. After several seconds, the knight puts his sword away before slowly reaching up to take off his helmet. When he does, Peter’s eyes widen, and he stares at him in surprise.  _ No way… _

“You’re Tony Stark!” Peter shouts out, baffled. Just to make sure, he pulls out his comic, turning to a page with his favorite hero’s face and holding it up so he can compare. Sure enough, the beard, the eyebrows...everything matches.  _ But how?  _

“Tony Stark?” the man says, raising an eyebrow at him. “That’s not what people usually call me, but I suppose it’s not that far off. My name is Antonius Starkward.”  _ Oh. Okay. That makes a lot more sense. But also...why do they look so similar?  _ Lost in his thoughts, it takes Peter a second to realize that the man is staring at him expectantly. 

“Oh, umm...my name’s Peter,” he finally says, smiling a little shyly. “Peter Parker. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Starkward sir.” The man smiles, and even chuckles a little, nodding politely at him before glancing around the both of them.

“Are your parents around, Sir Parker?” Peter can’t help the way his body tenses, and he looks down at the ground sheepishly. 

“I, umm...I don’t have any…” he whispers, shuffling his feet nervously. He’s convinced that Mr. Starkward will be angry or disappointed, but instead, the man crouches down so he’s in Peter’s eyeline, which forces Peter to look back up to lock eyes with him. 

“That’s unfortunate, and I’m sorry to hear that,” Antonius responds in all sincerity. “Would you like to come back to my village with me? I have to bring the beast to the king. He’ll be happy to see it’s dead. Perhaps we can find a home for you there.” Peter’s head shoots up fully, and he stares at Antonius wide-eyed.  _ A home? Here?  _

“Yes please!” he shouts, unable to contain his excitement. When Antonius smirks at him, he grins shyly again, trying to calm himself down. “I mean...yes sir, that would be nice.” The man chuckles a little before turning around, putting his fingers in his mouth and letting out a long whistle. Confused, Peter turns to look in the same direction, and, to his surprise, his eyes are able to make out the shape of a horse, galloping towards them. It stops just in front of Mr. Starkward, and, as it does, the man reaches down to the ground and heaves the beast’s body over his shoulder before laying it across the horse. He then hops onto the animal himself before turning back towards Peter and holding out an arm. Eagerly, Peter runs over, taking the knight’s extended hand before being lifted onto the horse, directly in front of Mr. Starkward.

“Take us home,” the man says to his horse, and Peter can’t help the way his face lights up, just a little bit. 

~ 

When they finally reach the village, Peter is amazed at how many people are crowding around them as they make their way through town. His shyness returning, Peter attempts to hide his face a little, and Mr. Starkward seems to notice, gently bringing an arm around him in comfort. 

When they reach what looks like the palace, Antonius hops off the horse before reaching up to help Peter off. He then grabs the beast’s body, and they make their way towards a long set of stairs, climbing up. 

At the top, the knight lays the beast’s body on the ground as a woman a few feet away turns towards him, smiling. She’s dressed in what looks like some sort of royal garb, and Peter can’t help the way he gapes a little. Despite his excitement, he hangs back as the knight steps towards the edge of the balcony, not wanting to be in the way, and definitely not wanting all those eyes on him. But when Mr. Starkward reaches the edge of the balcony, he turns back towards Peter, smiling and beckoning him forward. Sheepishly, Peter obliges, shuffling his way forward to stand at the man’s side. The man puts an arm around his shoulders before putting an arm up and shouting: 

“The beast is dead!” The crowd cheers, but Mr. Starkward quickly raises a hand, and they all fall silent. “This young boy,” he continues, gesturing to Peter standing beside him. “Is named Peter Parker. He helped me conquer the beast, and he saved my life.” The crowd cheers again, and this time, it’s followed by several choruses of “Hooray for Sir Parker!” Peter blushes a little, but he can’t help the smile that slowly makes its way onto his face. Praise feels good. 

As the cheers continue, they slowly become another chorus of words, but this time, it’s something that throws Peter off even more. 

“Long Live King Starkward!” 

“Wait,” Peter whispers out in awe. “ _ You’re  _ the king?” Mr-- _ King _ \--Starkward looks down at him with a smile. 

“In title, yes,” he starts. “Though I rarely let my title stop me from doing what’s right for my people.” Peter smiles up at him, then feels for the comic still tucked into his back pocket and wraps his fingers around it.  _ He’s totally like Tony Stark.  _

His thoughts are interrupted when the king speaks up again. 

“We shall have a feast in honor of the newfound safety of our village, as well as in honor of our young visitor!” The crowd cheers again, another several shouts of “Hooray for Sir Parker” making Peter’s cheeks even redder, but also making his smile bigger. 

_ Maybe this isn’t so bad.  _

~

The feast is exactly that—a  _ feast. _ Peter’s never seen so much food in his life, and it doesn’t take much for him to dive in and enjoy himself. The king chuckles good-naturedly at him as he enjoys the festivities, but eventually, he stops him, pulling him aside slightly.

”Do you like it here, Peter?” he asks softly. Peter nods enthusiastically, smiling brightly.

“This is really cool, Mr. King Starkward. Thank you.” The king laughs, putting an arm on Peter’s shoulder as his smile grows. 

“You know, if you would like to stay here, with me, I’d be happy to take you in as my son.”

Peter almost drops the piece of bread he’s holding. 

_ His  _ son?  _ That would mean having a home again. It would mean having a  _ family  _ again.  _

Peter doesn’t even hesitate before nodding his head furiously. 

“I would love that, sir,” he exclaims, resisting the urge to jump up and down in excitement. The king smiles back at him before putting a gentle arm around his shoulders and leading him towards the throne. 

As Peter sits down, the king gets everyone’s attention. 

“I have an announcement to make,” King Starkward says, and the quiet lull of voices turns to silence.”I am officially declaring Young Peter Parker as my one and only son and heir to the throne.”

The room erupts into cheers, and people immediately run up to Peter, showering him with even more food, as well as several gifts and goodies. Peter wants to revel in it, and a small part of him is, but his shyness eventually gets the better of him, and he tucks into himself just a little bit more. Luckily, King Starkward seems to notice, because he reaches for his hand and quickly shuffles him away. 

“Thank you,” Peter whispers, his nerves finally settling themselves as they make their way up a flight of stairs. 

“I was the same way when I was your age,” King Starkward replies, giving Peter a soft smile. “I completely understand.”

The rest of their walk is in a comfortable silence, but King Starkward speaks up again as they make their way down a long hallway. 

“You’ve had a long day, so how about I show you to your room? It’s probably time you got some rest.”

A part of Peter wants to protest, but then a yawn escapes him, and he realizes just how tired he really is.

“Okay,” he concedes, following the king down the hallway a little further before stopping in front of a big door. The king opens it, and Peter’s eyes immediately widen at the space.  _ I’ve never had a room this big before.  _

A “wow” slips out of his mouth, and he hears the king chuckle behind him. 

“I have to check in on the festivities, but you can make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He starts to turn away, but then stops, turning back to give Peter one last smile. “Welcome to your new home.” 

As the king walks away, Peter turns back to his new room, and a smile makes its way onto his face. 

_ Home.  _

He finally has a  _ home. _

Just like he’s always wanted. 

Gleefully, he runs towards the bed and jumps on top of it, bouncing on the fluffy mattress several times before stretching himself out all the way. As he lays there, staring up at the ceiling, he feels another yawn coming on, and he wraps himself up in the blankets, snuggling into the warmth and comfort. Before he knows it, he’s fast asleep. 

~

Peter wakes up to heat, smoke, and someone shaking him—hard. 

“Peter come on! We have to go!”

Peter shoots out of bed quickly, looking around in confusion as a cough escapes him. He’s back in the orphanage, and one of his roommates is practically dragging him out of bed.  _ So it was all a dream… _

It takes Peter a minute to orient himself as his roommate drags him along, and when he finally does, he makes himself run a little faster. 

The orphanage is on fire. 

Shockingly, he’s still gripping his comic in his hand, and he uses it to shield some of the smoke as they try to make their way out of the building.

Suddenly, he hears a crack from above him, and he glances up to see a piece of wood falling to the ground directly above them.

Without thinking, he lets go of his roommate’s hand, pushing the other boy forward while he jumps backwards at the same time. Miraculously, neither of them get hit, and his roommate manages to get away, but the wood in front of Peter is on fire, and it’s blocking his way out.

His eyes are getting watery, and he keeps coughing, but he pushes his glasses up and looks around for another exit. 

Suddenly, a figure comes forward, and before Peter can process what’s happening, he’s scooped up and flying through the air, debris and wood crumbling around him. 

After what feels like only a few seconds, Peter is in the open air and gently being placed back down on the ground, outside and away from the burning building. 

“That was some move, kid,” a voice says behind him, and when Peter turns around, his jaw drops in amazement. 

Because standing in front of him is none other than  _ Iron Man. _

_ Iron Man just saved me from a fire.  _

To make sure he isn’t dreaming again, he takes off his glasses, rubs his eyes, blinks several times, and puts them back on. But, sure enough, Iron Man is still standing there, staring at him, and when Peter blinks again, the hero takes off the helmet and reveals the face of Peter’s even greater hero—the one and only Tony Stark.

“You alright?” _ the  _ Tony Stark asks, but all Peter can do is stare at him. Eventually, he manages to shake himself out of his awe enough to nod. 

“Y—yes sir,” he stumbles, still amazed. “Umm...thank—thank you.” Mr. Stark nods at him, a small smirk on his face, before he gestures to the comic Peter’s still clutching desperately in his hand. 

“I like your comic,” he says, and Peter smiles sheepishly at him, unable to hide the redness in his cheeks. 

“Thanks,” he whispers, and Mr. Stark chuckles a little before he eventually turns away. Peter knows the man has to go, but he can’t help the way his heart aches as Tony walks away, and he frowns a little, looking down at his comic before turning away himself. He barely walks a few steps towards the group of terrified, clinging orphans before Tony speaks up again. 

“Hey kid,” he calls, and Peter turns around quickly, some small part of him reveling in a small amount of hope. 

To his surprise, his secret wish is granted when Tony finally says: 

“Wanna come along?” 


	2. First Day/Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, to reiterate, I think this second part is WAY better, and I'm honestly way more proud of it than I am of the first part. 
> 
> But, I had to write the first part in order to get you to this part, so here we are. XD 
> 
> This satisfies the second prompt for Comfortember, First Day/Night. 
> 
> I hope you guys like it!

“What were you thinking?” 

Pepper is standing in the kitchen, arms crossed, face etched in that “what the hell is wrong with you” expression that he’s come to know so well. 

“What? It’s not like we don’t have the room.” 

In all honesty, Tony has no idea what he was thinking when he decided to bring Peter Parker home with him after getting everyone out of that burning orphanage. But in that moment, when they’d locked eyes after Tony saved his life, something just...sparked. He can’t really explain it, but something about the kid made him feel like it was what he had to do. Peter was special. 

So he’d walked into the orphanage and signed the papers. 

Much to Pepper’s dismay. 

“I’m not worried about room, I’m worried about  _ time, _ ” Pepper’s saying as she uncrosses her arms. “In case you haven’t noticed, your schedule’s a little full. And you know  _ nothing _ about kids. How do you expect to take care of a ten-year-old?” 

“I’ll just have to work him into my schedule,” Tony replies, shifting a little so he can glance at said kid, still sitting on the couch in the living room, looking around curiously. “And, I mean, I’m a genius. How hard can parenting really be?” 

Pepper scoffs, rolling her eyes, and Tony just manages to catch the “unbelievable” that she murmurs under her breath. He ignores it, however, in favor of nudging her just enough for her to look at him before turning to look at where he’s looking, and it doesn’t take long for her to join him in smiling at Peter’s wonderment. 

The kid is standing up now, wandering around the room, eyes wide as his gaze goes towards several of Tony’s smaller projects set up on the nearby bookshelf. He has a tight grip on his backpack straps, but he releases one hand to reach out towards one of the small cubes Tony had been playing with as a precursor to his compactable suit. At the last second, he pulls his hand back, gripping his backpack straps again and turning away, seeming nervous. 

Tony takes his opportunity, striding over towards the kid, leaving a smiling but definitely-still-annoyed Pepper behind. 

“You can pick it up if you want,” he says. “It’s not gonna break, I promise.” Peter looks towards him, and the grip on his straps loosens just a little, but he still doesn’t make a move to grab the cube. Tony waits patiently, but eventually, he reaches for the cube himself, making his way towards the couch and gesturing for Peter to follow him. The kid obliges, coming over and plopping down next to Tony. 

“What is it?” Peter finally asks, and Tony smiles gently at him. 

“Well,” he starts, holding it out for Peter to see. “It  _ looks  _ like a cube, doesn’t it?” Peter nods, tilting his head a little, clearly waiting for the punch line, and Tony can’t help the chuckle that escapes him. “Well, it is, but it isn’t. Cause see, when you push this button…” He trails off to push said button, and the cube quickly expands, forming into a band around his forearm. 

“Whoa!” Peter shouts out, sitting up and scooting closer. “That’s so cool!” He reaches out to touch it, but he hesitates again. Tony quickly urges him on, even bringing his arm closer to the kid so it’s easier for him to reach. Peter hesitates for another minute, but then eventually, he reaches over and knocks on the metal structure. 

“Wow!” Peter shouts again, scooting over even more, seemingly giving it a closer look. “It’s so stable! How did you do that?” 

“I can show you if you want,” Tony says, turning his arm so Peter can see it at different angles. “Someday at least.” Peter stops looking at the contraption to stare at Tony, and for several seconds, that’s all he does. Tony raises an eyebrow at him, wondering if he needs to prompt, but then Peter speaks up. 

“You mean it?” Peter whispers, and Tony’s a little throw off by how disbelieving he sounds. “You’d...you’d actually teach me how to make things...like you?” 

“Well, sure, kid. I mean, if you’re gonna live here now, I might as well show you the ropes.” He stops, then, worried he’s overstepping, and tries to backtrack quickly, turning away a little. “Only if you want to, obviously.” 

“Yes,” Peter shoots out, but when Tony looks over at him with another raised eyebrow, he blushes, and tries to backtrack himself. “I mean, yes, sir, that would be...that would be really cool. Thank you.” Tony chuckles a little in response. 

“You know,” he starts, gently folding the band back into the cube. “You don’t have to call me ‘sir’. Don’t you think that’s a little too formal?” Peter looks at him, then shrugs a little, shrinking in on himself slightly. 

“I mean...I don’t know. I guess so. Sorry, sir. I mean--Mr. Stark. Sorry Mr. Stark.” 

Tony wants to correct him again and tell him that the “Mr. Stark” isn’t necessary, but he decides against it, instead holding out the cube for the young boy. 

“Do you want to try it?” Peter nods excitedly, taking the contraption from Tony’s hand eagerly and awaiting instruction. Tony shows him exactly how to hold it before pressing the button, and when the band forms--covering the majority of Peter’s arm, given his small frame--the boy lets out the brightest giggle, and it makes Tony smile in a way that he hasn’t in a really long time. 

_ Okay, there is no doubt in my mind that I’m keeping this kid.  _

After Peter tests out the cube several more times, Tony eventually stands up, clapping his hands together. 

“So. I think we’re getting close to dinnertime. Any requests?” Peter looks up at him, face contorted in confusion. 

“I get to pick dinner?” 

“Of course you get to pick dinner,” Tony replies, a little flabbergasted. “It’s your first night. You get to celebrate.” 

Peter smiles brightly, then tilts his head a little like he’s thinking before shouting out: 

“Pepperoni pizza!” Tony chuckles at the excitement from the young boy, his smile growing. 

“Then pepperoni pizza it is,” he says before gesturing to the space around them. “Feel free to keep exploring, kiddo. I’m gonna go figure out the pizza situation.” He leaves Peter to his own devices, but keeps a close eye on him as he makes his way back to the kitchen, where Pepper is still standing in the doorway, staring at him. This time, though, she doesn’t look angry. Instead she looks...oddly impressed. Tony raises an eyebrow at her as he walks past her towards the kitchen counter. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks, instructing J.A.R.V.I.S. to put together their pizza order. 

“It’s interesting,” Pepper responds, pausing to glance over at Peter before turning back to Tony. “I’ve never really seen you like that before.” 

“Like what?” Tony questions, glancing at the screen that J.A.R.V.I.S. pulled up, giving him the signal to officially place the order. 

“Happy,” Pepper finally answers, and Tony turns to her with a look. 

“What? I’m happy all the time, what are you talking about?” 

“Not like that,” she quips back, nodding towards the kid. “That kind of happiness...that was something special. Maybe this idea of yours wasn’t so crazy after all.” Tony raises an eyebrow yet again, wiggling it a little bit playfully. 

“Hold on,” Tony starts, smugness in his voice. “Is something wrong with my hearing, or did you just call one of my ideas good?” Pepper rolls her eyes, hitting him on the arm lightly. 

“I didn’t say it was good,” she clarifies. “I just said it wasn’t crazy.” Tony rolls his eyes, but smiles nonetheless. 

“I’ll take that,” he says before returning to the living room to join Peter. 

Tony passes the time by showing Peter several more of his inventions, and each one seems to make the kid more and more excited. Gradually, Peter starts opening up more, and by the time the pizza’s arrived, Tony feels like he’s finally starting to bond with the kid. 

“Alright,” Tony starts, re-entering the living room. “Since this is your first day and all, I figured maybe we could watch a movie while we eat. Sound good?” Peter nods, situating himself on the couch in preparation, adjusting his glasses carefully before leaning into the couch. Tony sets the pizza on the table in front of them while Pepper comes up behind him, carrying several sodas on a tray. As Tony lists off the movies in his head, debating what kind of movies are acceptable for a ten-year-old to watch, he finally decides to go with a classic. “How do you feel about Star Wars?” 

The plate that Peter had just grabbed clangs to the table lightly, and at first, Tony’s worried that he’s upset him, but when he looks over at the kid, his eyes are lit up, and his face isn’t filled with horror, but pure joy. 

“You like Star Wars?” he asks, voice barely above a whisper. 

“Of course I do,” Tony replies, picking up the kid’s plate for him and putting a piece-- _ two pieces? Three pieces? We’ll start with one. _ \--of pizza on it for him. “It’s the best movie franchise out there.” 

“You really  _ are  _ the coolest person in the world!” Peter shouts, practically jumping out of his seat, and Tony raises an eyebrow, handing him the plate of food despite the fact that he’s not entirely convinced the kid won’t drop it all over again in all his enthusiasm. 

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Tony says, grabbing his own plate. “I just have an appreciation for the classics.” 

“I would,” Peter says before taking a big bite of his pizza, smiling at Tony in the process. And as Tony looks back over at him, he finally realizes what the something special was that made him do a double take and bring the kid home with him. Sure, he’s enthusiastic, with a smile that could light up the room. And of course, he’s smart and curious, always seeming to want to learn. But more than anything, it was the look that Tony’s seeing on Peter’s face right now. 

Admiration.    
  
Tony’s never had somebody look at him the way Peter’s looking at him. Not like that. This admiration is so...genuine. It's pure. 

And it warms his heart in a way that nothing else ever has. 

Shaking off the emotions that are now so clearly seeping out, Tony clears his throat and asks J.A.R.V.I.S. to put on _A New Hope._ As the credit sequence starts, Tony takes a seat on the couch, right in between Peter and Pepper, and to his surprise, Peter squeezes right next to him, tucking himself under Tony’s free arm as he continues to eat his pizza. To Tony’s even greater surprise, he instinctively wraps his arm around the kid in return. Pepper watches them from the corner of her eye, smiling just a little as she helps herself to some pizza too. 

“Can every night be like this?” Peter asks as they all settle in. Tony looks over at Pepper, but before she can actually say anything, he turns back to Peter, unable to hide his small smile. 

“You know what, kid?” he says. “Sure.” And as the credit sequence finishes and the movie finally starts, Tony lowers his voice, but keeps it just loud enough for Peter to hear him. 

“Welcome to your new home.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this whole thing isn't my best work, and it's a little cliche and a little forced and a little cheesy, but you know what? I'm putting it out there anyways, so hopefully you guys don't hate it or me for it. XD 
> 
> If, by some miracle, you did like this story, please check out my other works on AO3! (And even if you didn't, please check out my other works, because they're way better. XD) 
> 
> Otherwise, if you wanna chat it up or ask me anything at all, come say hi on [Tumblr!](https://kitkatwinchester.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I really hope you liked it! 
> 
> My goal for Comfortember is to do something for every prompt, whether that means one-shots, multi-chapters, or otherwise. This is mostly because I want to up the amount of works I have on AO3, but it's also because I really just want to write more, and I think doing this event is a great opportunity! 
> 
> That said, please check out the second chapter of this story for the second prompt, and keep an eye out for my future Comfortember prompts! 
> 
> If you wanna come say hi or ask any questions, you can come see me on [Tumblr!](https://kitkatwinchester.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Thanks again! I appreciate any and all support and feedback!


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